Coaches Journal: 2008 Season in Review

May 23 and I've just now been presented with the opportunity to post our 2008 season recap. Not too bad for a year that some might have considered a "rebuilding" year. True, we graduated 5 of our top 6 players from last year, and true, the 5 that we graduated were incredibly valuable members of this program. They did perhaps more for this program than any one class before them. At the same time, JR and I had the feeling that the 2008 season would be an incredible one, and we weren't particularly frightened by the prospect of bringing in such a large crop of freshmen. True to form, this team improved at a remarkable pace, and continued to improve as the season drew to a close. The phrase that was repeated most often this season was, "get better every day." Each member of the 2008 Hellhens took that to heart, and our culture and foundation has been enriched.

Well, I've recently returned from Lewiston, Maine, the site of the 2008 Division III National Championships at Bates College. This was also the site of the 2004 Championships. It was great to return to the site of my first experience at nationals. This year, junior Cam Taylor represented Pomona-Pitzer as a singles participant. I arrived early to the tournament to serve on the NCAA Committee, so I was there to watch the team tournament as well. The 8 teams that advanced out of their respective regionals converged on Maine for a three day tournament to decide the team national champion. It always serves as fuel for the fire to see these teams compete, and I end this season even more motivated to prepare our program to compete in this environment.

For the singles tournament, the top 8 players from each region, 32 in all make up the draw. The top two players in each region are seeded, and the rest are randomly selected to fill out the rest of the draw. Cam entered the tournament as the number 8 player out of the West, and was not ranked in the top 50 in the country. As this tournament drew to a close, Cam was one of only two players in the region to advance out of the first round, and is currently ranked 29 in the nation in singles. This is quite impressive considering that he has only played in 6 tourmanents in his life (3 Ojai's and 1 nationals).

In the first round, Cam drew the number one player from Depauw, Kortney Keith. Battling it out on court number 1, Cam got down 0-4 in the first set before calming down and rallying back. He lost the first set in a breaker despite having chances, but took control of the second set and won it 6-3. It looked as though he might cruise in the third set, but Keith made some adjustments and began to attack the net at every opportunity, pressuring Cam and taking away his rhythm. Both players struggled to hold serve as the score see-sawed back and forth. Returning down 5-4, Cam broke Kortney and then took a 6-5 lead. Serving at 6-5 in the third, Cam was broken to send the match into a decisive third set breaker. It wasn't a pretty match, and the final breaker was a fair enough representation of the entire match. Toward the end of the third set, Keith began to cramp, but Cam was unable to take advantage as his opponent's attacking strategy shortened the points. Up 6-3 in the breaker, Cam double faulted twice to put the breaker back on serve at 6-5. In a sad but fitting end to the match, Keith double-faulted on match point to hand Cam the win, a trip to the round of 16, and All-American status.

In the second round later that day, Cam faced the #14 ranked player in the country, Chris Fletcher of Methodist University. Cam came out loose and was able to absorb and neutralize the big groundies of Fletcher. This match provided glimpses of Cam Taylor 4.0, as he was moving well and striking an even heavier and better ball. It wasn't until he was on serve 3-4 that he began to feel some of the effects of the three and a half hour match earlier in the day. Serving, he began to feel some initial cramping in his legs. More than anything, it affected his concentration and he was broken and lost the first set 6-3. In the second set he wasn't able to find the loose strokes of the first, and lost 6-2.

This is the first time since 2004 that a Hellhen has advanced out of the first round at nationals, and the first time since 2003 that non-senior has qualified for the tournament. It's easy to say that it was an incredible season for Cam, but in reality he merely represents our team. One of the best characteristics of this year's squad was that the identity of this team was collective, rather than relying on a few stellar players. It's always wonderful when one player excels, but he merely serves to represent the rest of his teammates, because without them, nothing would be possible. Looking forward to 2009 and beyond, the Hellhen Tennis Program has never been in better shape. The contributions of departing seniors Michael's Powell and Carlson, Blake Phillips, and Drew Olian will be felt for quite some time. Their leadership and compassion have set the bar for those that follow in their footsteps. I look forward to having them join our growing family of alumni.

- Ben